Sunday, February 14, 2010

"February 14 is the 10th National Donor Day -- a day to give the gift of life.Fill out an organ and tissue donation card, register with your State Donor Registry and make sure your family knows you want to be a donor.Join the National Registry of potential volunteer marrow and blood stem cell donors.Learn how you can donate your baby's umbilical cord blood stem cells at birth.Donate blood.Why be a Donor?The need is great and growing.Almost 95,000 people are in need of an organ for transplant.Approximately 35,000 children and adults in our country have life-threatening blood diseases that could be treated by a marrow/blood stem cell or cord blood transplant.Every two seconds someone in America needs blood, more than 39,000 units each day, according to the American Red Cross.Why do it Today?Valentine's Day is the day of love and donation is the gift of life. Can you think of a more loving gesture than making February 14 the day you join thousands of Americans in making the donation decision?

National Donor Day was started in 1998 by the Saturn Corporation and its United Auto Workers partners with the support of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and many nonprofit health organizations. "